Atieva, Inc.

Jean-Philippe Gauthier

Richard J Biskup

Philip Roland Graham

Benson Tsai

Thomas Joel Huber

Peter Dore Rawlinson

Yifan Tang

Jeremy Franz Mayer

Balazs Palfai

David YuanJei Tse

DodgieReigh M Calpito

Aravind Srinivasan

Sai Krishna Enabothula

James Hawkins

Bela Hegedus

Matthew Djock

Jieliang Hao

Brandon Weber

In a general aspect, an electrical device assembly (e.g., a battery module) can include a first electrical contact surface, a second electrical contact surface, and a ribbon wire extending along a longitudinal axis. The ribbon wire can include a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. The first portion of the ribbon wire can be coupled with the first electrical contact surface via a first wedge bond. The second portion of the ribbon wire can be coupled with the second electrical contact surface via a second wedge bond. The third portion of the ribbon wire can extend between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion can have a first width transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ribbon wire, and the third portion can have a second width transverse to the longitudinal axis, the first width being greater than the second width.

Multi-axis ultrasonic wedge wire bonding

A power distribution system is provided that ensures that a car is able to operate safely in an autonomous mode. The system includes multiple power rails, including a pair of safety critical power rails. Associated with each safety critical power rail is a safety switch, vehicle sensors (e.g., vehicle location and obstacle sensors), vehicle actuators (e.g., braking and steering actuators) and an autonomous control unit. If a fault is detected during vehicle initialization or general operation, the safety switch which detected the fault opens and that particular power rail is decoupled from the general purpose power rail as well as the remaining safety critical power rail. The remaining safety critical power rail is then able to provide power to a sufficient number of sensors, actuators and controllers to allow the car to safely and autonomously complete an emergency stop on the side of the road.

Redundant vehicle power distribution system

A transmission comprises: a first planetary stage including a first ring gear defining first internal teeth; a ground component defining second internal teeth; a compound planetary stage including a one-way clutch with an inner race and an outer race, the outer race having a first tapered surface; and an adaptor defining external teeth and a second tapered surface, the adaptor being movable into at least a first position where the first tapered surface and the second tapered surface are connected with each other, and into a second position where instead the first internal teeth are gear coupled with the second internal teeth.

Compact two-speed transmission with compound planetary stage

A powertrain backlash control system is provided for use with an electric vehicle (EV), where the EV uses at least one powertrain to provide forward vehicle motion and at least one additional powertrain to provide rearward vehicle motion. The control system eliminates backlash by maintaining a positive motor torque within each powertrain when the vehicle is in-gear, thus applying a minimum forward torque demand to the powertrain dedicated to forward motion and applying a minimum reverse torque demand to the powertrain dedicated to rearward motion.

Control system to eliminate power train backlash

A power management system for an electric vehicle is provided which maintains power to the various vehicle 'always-on' components and subsystems during periods of vehicle non-use without requiring the low voltage battery to undergo frequent charge/discharge cycling. The system uses a secondary DC/DC converter that has a lower output voltage, and operates at a higher efficiency, then the primary DC/DC converter. As a result of this system, the life of the low voltage battery is prolonged and power consumption efficiency is improved, thereby minimizing range loss while the car is parked.

Electric vehicle power supply system to minimize loss during vehicle rest

A method of operating the thermal management system in a vehicle is provided, where the thermal management system includes a heat exchanger (e.g., a radiator) and a heat source (e.g., battery pack, drive train, power electronics, etc.). After characterizing the thermal management system, whenever the system controller issues a cooling demand an appropriate set of operating settings is determined that minimizes the amount of power consumed by the system's actuators (e.g., blower fan, coolant pump) while still meeting the cooling demand. As a result, the heat source is cooled to the degree required with a minimum expenditure of power, thereby minimizing the impact on driving range and vehicle performance.

EV adaptive thermal management system optimized to minimize power consumption

A high current fuse with a short time constant is provided for use in an electric vehicle. The fuse is designed to exhibit thermal characteristics that are similar if not substantially identical to those of the wire bond interconnects used in the vehicle's battery pack. As a result, the system does not go into an overheat protection condition when the system is subjected to repetitive high current cycles, such as those common during aggressive and/or spirited driving. The fuse includes an arc suppressor.

High current battery pack fusing system

A method for automatically cleaning a vehicle's heat exchanger or air filter is provided. In use, once the system determines that the heat exchanger/air filter should be cleaned, for example based on total operational time or the number of use cycles or air flow, the system temporarily reverses the direction of the corresponding fan assembly, thereby reversing the flow of air through the heat exchanger/air filter and forcing out dust, dirt and other debris.

Method of cleaning a vehicle heat exchanger

A high current fuse with a short time constant is provided for use in an electric vehicle. The fuse is designed to exhibit thermal characteristics that are similar if not substantially identical to those of the wire bond interconnects used in the vehicle's battery pack. As a result, the system does not go into an overheat protection condition when the system is subjected to repetitive high current cycles, such as those common during aggressive and/or spirited driving.

A motor assembly with an integrated cooling system is provided in which a coolant (e.g., oil) is injected into a hollow region of the rotor shaft. The coolant is expelled out of the rotor shaft and into the motor enclosure via multiple thru-holes, thereby allowing efficient cooling of both the stator and the rotor assemblies.

Motor cooling system

A self-cleaning fan assembly is provided that can be used to automatically clean the assembly's heat exchanger or air filter. In use, once the system determines that the heat exchanger/air filter should be cleaned, for example based on the total operational time or the number of use cycles for the system, or based on the air flow passing through the heat exchanger/air filter, the controller temporarily reverses the direction of the fan, thereby reversing the flow of air through the heat exchanger/air filter and forcing out dust, dirt and other debris.

Self-cleaning fan assembly

A battery pack monitoring system is provided that continually monitors the current at the fuse and, when the system determines that the fuse is close to its operating limit, limits battery pack current by limiting traction motor torque.

Battery pack fuse monitoring and current limiting system

A traction control system is provided that is applicable to both two wheel drive and four wheel drive electric vehicles, and which is capable of handling both low frequency and high frequency control duties. The system uses proportional gains in order to minimize controller delays and insure a natural feeling traction control system.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Jean-Philippe Gauthier